A synchronization server for fulfilling orders under non-persistent network conditions includes a terminal update element, a queue processor, and a service area map. The terminal update element receives changes corresponding to one or more orders from one or more POS terminals. The queue processor queues the changes in terminal queues that correspond to the terminals, where the state changes are accessed by the terminal update element and transmitted to a first one of a subset of the terminals, from oldest to youngest, when the first one of the subset of the terminals is operably connected to the network, and where the state changes are maintained in terminal queues corresponding to other ones of the subset while the other ones of the subset remain operably disconnected from the network. The service area map is coupled to the queue processor and associates each of the terminals to one or more service areas, where the subset corresponds to one of the one or more service areas.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said network comprises the Internet.
3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said server comprises a cloud-based server.
4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein two or more of said subset of said POS terminals are configured to generate unique ones of the state changes corresponding to a same one of the one or more orders.
5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein a first subset of said subset of said POS terminals operably connect to said network via one or more Wi-Fi access points that are disposed within a retail facility.
6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein a second subset of said subset of said POS terminals operably connect to the network via one or more cellular access points.
7. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein a second subset of said POS terminals operably connect to said network via a wired connection disposed within said retail facility.
9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein said network comprises the internet.
10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said server comprises a cloud-based server.
11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein two or more of said subset of said POS terminals are configured to generate unique ones of the state changes corresponding to a same one of the one or more orders.
12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein a first subset of said subset of said POS terminals operably connect to said network via one or more Wi-Fi access points that are disposed within a retail facility.
13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein a second subset of said subset of said POS terminals operably connect to the network via one or more cellular access points.
14. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein a second subset of said POS terminals operably connect to said network via a wired connection disposed within said retail facility.
16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the network comprises the internet.
17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the server comprises a cloud-based server.
18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein two or more of the subset of the plurality of POS terminals are configured to generate unique ones of the state changes corresponding to a same one of the one or more orders.
19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein a first subset of the subset of the plurality of POS terminals operably connect to the network via one or more Wi-Fi access points that are disposed within a retail facility.
20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein a second subset of the subset of the plurality of POS terminals operably connect to the network via one or more cellular access points.
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May 18, 2021
August 30, 2022
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